Wagga Wagga railway station is a railway station open for passenger services on the Main Southern line connecting Sydney and Melbourne. It has been heritage-listed, especially on account of its historical and architectural significance. A museum is on the premises. As of 2021^[update], two daily passenger trains in each direction served the City of Wagga Wagga.

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Wagga Wagga
Station building and entrance, September 2019
General information
Location	Station Place, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	35°07′13″S 147°22′06″E
Owned by	Transport Asset Holding Entity
Operated by	NSW TrainLink
Line(s)	Main Southern
Distance	521.40 kilometres (323.98 mi) from Central
Platforms	1
Tracks	2
Connections	Coach
Construction
Structure type	Ground
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Status	Weekdays: Staffed: 8am-4pm, 11pm-3.30am Weekends and public holidays: Staffed: 8am-4pm, 11pm-3.30am
Station code	WGA
History
Opened	1 September 1879
Previous names	South Wagga Wagga
Services
Preceding station NSW TrainLink Following station The Rock towards Melbourne NSW TrainLink Southern Line Melbourne XPT Junee towards Sydney
Former services Preceding station Former Services Following station Former NSW Main line services Kapooka towards Albury Main Southern Line Bomen towards Sydney
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name	Wagga Wagga Railway Station and yard group
Type	State heritage (complex / group)
Designated	2 April 1999
Reference no.	1279
Type	Railway Platform/Station
Category	Transport – Rail

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In 1874, the Department of Public Works, Railway Branch, accepted a tender for extension of the Great Southern Railway from Goulburn to Wagga Wagga.^[1][2]

The station opened in 1879 as "South Wagga Wagga", after the Main South line was extended from Bomen, 7.5 kilometres (5 miles) to the north,^[3] serving as the terminus until the line was extended to Gerogery in 1880. It was renamed "Wagga Wagga" in 1882.^[4][5]

In 1917, Wagga Wagga became a junction station when the Tumbarumba line opened as far as Humula; Tumbarumba was reached in 1921. Traffic on the branch dwindled in the late 20th century, and the last train on it ran in 1987.^[6]

The station building, categorised as a New South Wales Government Railways Type 5 made of first-class brick, and a two-storey Type 4 brick stationmaster's residence, were completed in 1879. In 1917, a refreshment room was added for the journey to Albury. A footbridge from Station Place to Railway Street was completed in 1936.^[7] The station yard had a turntable, a tripod crane and extensive sidings, including to an offsite fuel depot and grain silos, but they were removed to leave only a passing loop and short stand-by loop in use. The station no longer has freight handling facilities.

As of 2021^[update], Wagga Wagga was served by two daily NSW TrainLink XPT services in each direction operating between Sydney and Melbourne. NSW TrainLink also operated road coach services to Tumbarumba,^[8] Griffith,^[9] Echuca,^[10] and to Tumut, a trial service as of 2021^[update].^[11]

The property was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999 as the "Wagga Wagga Railway Station and yard group". It was assessed as historically, architecturally, scientifically and socially rare, possessing uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Situated across the high end of Wagga Wagga's main thoroughfare, it was considered to be an important civic element of the city.^[7]

The highly significant station building is unique in the New South Wales railway system. It was the first building to have been designed by notable engineer, John Whitton. The station master's residence was assessed as of equal significance to the station building, adding to the completeness of the group with its location near the station entrance. Other buildings, excellent examples of their type, also reflect the importance of the location as a former junction.^[7]

• List of railway stations in New South Wales